Chapter 500

Nine Bend Creek Hall, where Nine Bend Creek merges into the great lake.

A vast expanse of red maples surrounded a waterside platform; as the wind blew, red leaves fell into the creek, drifting silently on the bright white water, staining the creekbed's pure white sand and stones almost red.

Princess Jingcheng, dressed entirely in red, sat quietly on the platform; two palace maids holding large fans made of peacock tail feathers stood behind her to her side, gently sending her breezes.

Ma Xiangru, Vice Master of the Great Jin Censorate Hall, together with seven or eight other young talents who had recently risen in the Great Jin court, stood before her, each with a worried, grim expression.

"You lot, you're getting more and more promising." Princess Jingcheng was extremely beautiful.

The Great Jin imperial lineage was excellent; over countless years, the bloodlines of handsome men and beautiful women blended, so imperial males were mostly handsome and graceful, while imperial females were mostly peerless beauties.

Princess Jingcheng is the niece of the present Great Jin Divine Emperor Sima Xian, and also the niece of the late Crown Prince Sima Sheng; by blood she is closely related to the egret and the vermilion bird, and her appearance resembles the vermilion bird by about sixty or seventy percent.

Her whole body was a deep red, her two lips like flames, easily igniting the various obsessions in the hearts of Ma Xiangru and the others.

But the lips that were usually fiery and passionate, letting Ma Xiangru and the other young talents become intoxicated, now were like two red-hot cleavers, chopping left and right into their hearts.

"You lot, you're really too capable." Princess Jingcheng's red lips twitched slightly as she gave a mocking cold laugh.

"Well, a dozen or so second-rank officials joined forces, scattering tens of thousands… Who can tell this palace how the Duke of Yuzhou, Huo Xiong, managed to enter the city?"

Early that morning, 'Huo Xiong' swaggered through the market with hundreds of five-element spirits, exiting through the east gate of Anyang City.

Through Princess Jingcheng's connections in Anyang City, she learned of this news immediately, and at once summoned Ma Xiangru and her other retainers to Nine Bend Creek Hall, where she loudly rebuked them.

Princess Jingcheng heaved a deep breath, rose to her feet, and with a small sandalwood-framed folding fan inlaid with paradise bird tail feathers, she snapped it shut, then, carrying a wisp of fragrance, struck Ma Xiangru heavily on the forehead.

"My son might die at 'Huo Xiong's' hands, possibly killed by him personally… As for this, I actually don't wish to quarrel." Princess Jingcheng raised her head and said lightly: "After all, he is Zhao Xiu's son; whether to take revenge, how to take revenge, or if revenge is possible—this is Zhao Xiu… the Zhao family's affair."

"I am merely a little woman, wishing only to live a harmonious, happy life." Princess Jingcheng sighed softly: "I only want to live carefree and enjoy luxuries; I do not love fighting and killing."

"Whoever dares to make me unhappy for a moment, I will make them unhappy for life." Princess Jingcheng gritted her teeth and coldly laughed: "Since Huo Xiong has come to Anyang City, you lot over in Yuzhou must act quickly."

Princess Jingcheng fiercely glared at the group of retainers led by Ma Xiangru: "My source of wealth must not be cut off!"

Ma Xiangru and the others tugged at the flesh on their faces, all showing a warm, affectionate smile, and deeply bowed to Princess Jingcheng: "Your Highness, rest assured, the move in Yuzhou has probably already been launched… Huo Xiong has the ability to slip into Anyang City unbeknownst to gods and ghosts; then we will destroy his lair, making him a great embarrassment before the world."

After a few fawning laughs, Ma Xiangru whispered: "Earlier, when we impeached Huo Xiong in court, it was originally to vent our anger for Your Highness."

"It's really just that Huo Xiong's luck was too good, bumping into such a heaven‑shaking achievement… we really hadn't anticipated it."

"But this time he actually bumped into Your Highness; even if we are smashed to bits, we will crush Huo Xiong, all his subordinates, and his entire Yuzhou into pieces."

Ma Xiangru and the others were extremely respectful and obedient, like a pack of well‑behaved little dogs.

When facing the present Divine Emperor Sima Xian, they were never this respectful and obedient.

But before Princess Jingcheng…

Gazing at her two red lips, Ma Xiangru and the others' bones turned to mush; how could they still straighten their spines?

Even someone's mind suddenly flashed a terribly wicked thought—Princess Jingcheng's consort, the present Vice Master of the Military Bureau's Council Hall, Zhao Xiu, might as well just die on the front lines fighting the Great Wu; let him never come back!

Ma Xiangru and the others hurriedly turned and left.

Having been loudly dressed down by Princess Jingcheng early that morning, they too were prominent figures in the court; this anger needed to be vented.

Over these days, the manor guards tasked with intercepting Yuzhou people outside Anyang City ought to be punished a few; otherwise these good‑for‑nothings are far too unaware of diligence.

Besides that, the operation in Yuzhou… whether ready or not, it will be launched.

Not only is Princess Jingcheng's source of wealth there, but Ma Xiangru and his associates also have great interests in Yuzhou; in these days, the big households there that have been raided and exterminated are largely their people, their money‑bags that earn them profit!

Ah, we originally wanted to sweep up Huo Xiong together in Yuzhou.

But this is fine too; he sneaked to Anyang on his own, separating from his followers—marvelous. Without him holding command in Yuzhou, dealing with him becomes even easier.

And Huo Xiong alone in Anyang… is also easier to deal with.

Ma Xiangru strode quickly, tightly clenching his fists, unconsciously waving them lightly.

Princess Jingcheng lazily settled back into the soft chair; two handsome little eunuchs emerged from behind the red maple grove, obediently knelt at her feet, took out a jade‑carved beauty's fist, and lightly tapped her calves and soles.

Princess Jingcheng narrowed her eyes and suddenly sighed softly: "Really, Huo Xiong is just too ugly… otherwise, if the Duke of Yuzhou became this palace's person, there would be no need to worry about these matters."

She shook her head and murmured: "Besides, after all he also has some connection to Yin'er's death; regardless of whether he dealt the blow, I truly cannot get past this knot in my heart… sharing a bed and pillow with him… ah, forget it, forget it."

"As his mother… Yin'er's father is incapable; as his mother, avenging him is only natural for me."

She flung the valuable ten‑thousand‑gold folding fan carelessly to the ground, drew out a delicate small knife, lightly hummed a tune, and slowly trimmed her nails.

Bit by bit, strand by strand, with utmost care, she polished her nails to flawless perfection.

While Princess Jingcheng was disciplining Ma Xiangru and the others here, Sun Bubing, panting, had brought a few trusted commanders to the outskirts of the imperial city at Anyang's center.

To the west of the Great Jin imperial city lies a large compound, where the Great Jin Military Bureau is stationed, along with the Imperial City's Army and Horse Command.

To the east of the Great Jin imperial city, behind the many administrative offices, there is a sizable palace complex connected to the city by a passageway; this is where the Great Jin's Eastern Palace now resides.

The Eastern Palace Crown Prince Sima Ye resides daily in this palace complex.

The offices of the many officials under the Eastern Palace are also located in this palace complex.

In Great Jin, the Eastern Palace's structure is a miniature court, with a civil chancellor handling administration and a martial chancellor handling the military; across Great Jin's vast territory, moreover, three upper states, twelve middle states, and thirty-six lower states have been demarcated and placed directly under Eastern Palace governance.

The level of the upper states is roughly equivalent to that of Yuzhou.

As for the middle states' standard—not mentioning area, their population is about the same as the upper states', but their tax revenue is only about one‑tenth that of the upper states.

And the lower states, compared to newly opened territories like Dazhou, are only slightly better; their land, population, and every aspect of development belong to the 'impoverished and declining' category.

Altogether forty‑one prefectures are directly administered by the Eastern Palace, and the Eastern Palace even has the Six Guards Army, which directly obeys the Eastern Palace crown prince's command.

These Six Guards Army are not part of Great Jin's regular military establishment; when the Eastern Palace crown prince is capable, the Six Guards Army's combat power can even suppress the Military Bureau, just as when the late Crown Prince Sima Sheng was alive, the Eastern Palace's troops truly pressed the Military Bureau's forces so hard they could barely breathe.

But when the Eastern Palace crown prince is weak or his talent limited, the Six Guards Army are mere hounds and lackeys, serving as playthings for the crown prince's amusement.

The Eastern Palace's vermilion‑lacquered gate is tightly shut; hundreds of men wearing golden armor, tall and stalwart, with handsome, solemn faces, height and build nearly identical as if cast from the same mold, and of excellent appearance, the Eastern Palace's attendants stand silently before the gate.

The present Great Jin crown prince Sima Ye is also an exceptional individual.

As for the forty‑one great prefectures under his direct jurisdiction… well, they're basically thrown into chaos under his rule.

Among the forty‑one great prefectures, the three upper states, after his centuries of meticulous management, have been transformed from top‑tier prosperous lands comparable to Yuzhou into places slightly worse than average middle states; as for the middle and lower states, one can imagine.

Countless merchants went bankrupt, countless people were lost, bandits sprang up everywhere, and the populace could not make a living.

Because bandits proliferated, the Eastern Palace's Six Guards Army constantly went out to suppress them; the direct result is that the Eastern Palace Six Guards are extremely prone to promotion!

Sima Fa often sent memorials to the Capital Garrison and the Ministry of War, requesting merit for the many generals of his Eastern Palace Six Guards who had achieved distinction in suppressing bandits. Sima Fa was greatly indulged by Sima Xian, so the Ministry of War naturally had to give him face, and the Capital Garrison could hardly refuse him face!

Thus, relying on bandit suppression, the Eastern Palace Six Guards have accumulated over a thousand first-rank generals, over five thousand second-rank generals, and seventy to eighty thousand third-rank generals over the past few centuries, plus countless Commandants and Colonels. The enormous Eastern Palace Six Guards have no ordinary soldiers at all; even the lowest rank is that of a first-rank warrior.

Once a senior figure in the Ministry of War complained—if you pulled the Eastern Palace Six Guards out and stuffed those generals into the Ministry, they would fill all its posts with plenty to spare… The vast Ministry of War of the Great Jin simply doesn't have that many slots to accommodate so many big radishes!

Now, standing guard outside the Eastern Palace's main gate are nothing but gold-armored great generals, each wearing at his waist the jade seal of a first- or second-rank general!

Such grandeur, such display—only the present Eastern Palace in the whole Great Jin could put on such a show!

Take a look at these fellows' auras: second-rank great generals at the early and middle stages of the Chonglou Realm, first-rank great generals at the high and peak stages… Among these hundreds of gold-armored great generals, not a single one has even reached the Life Pool Realm.

It's obvious what sort of lot they are!

Sun Bing and these gold-armored great generals are old acquaintances; the Eastern Crown Prince's recent outings with the imperial kin and civil and military officials to the Eastern Garden have been mere perfunctory martial parades, after which he directly returns to Anyang City.

But these Eastern Palace generals often go to the Eastern Garden to enjoy themselves.

There they have wine, meat, dainty palace maids, and all kinds of rare exotic beasts raised in the Eastern Garden that they can secretly hunt and taste!

These men and Sun Bing are sworn brothers, bound by a blood-oath!

Seeing Sun Bing come running, panting, a dozen or so gold-armored generals hurried to meet him: "Hey, Sun brother, you're in high spirits today—why aren't you enjoying yourself in the Eastern Garden, but have returned to the city?"

"Your…Your Highness?" Sun Bing glanced at the people before him.

"What happened?" Several gold-armored generals widened their eyes at the flustered Sun Bing, then clenched their fists and shouted: "In the vast Anyang City, who dares provoke us? Where is he? Where is he?"

"Go, go, get out of the way…" Sun Bing's eyes were slightly reddened.

Just a quarter of an hour earlier, Huo Xiong punched a clamoring Eastern Garden guard right in front of him, blasting the man into a mist of blood.

Sun Bing was so frightened his soul almost flew off to the clouds beyond the nine heavens.

He didn't know how he had left the Eastern Garden, nor what confused orders he had issued in his dazed state; all he knew was that he stumbled along in a daze, his viscera twitching, and arrived at the Eastern Palace gate in a bewildered stupor.

His body swayed, he opened his mouth and spat out a few mouthfuls of clear water with difficulty, then Sun Bing stumbled into the Eastern Palace.

Behind the Eastern Palace's main gate lies a vast plaza, with two rows of halls—civil on the left, military on the right—where the Eastern Palace's civil and military chiefs, as well as numerous Eastern Palace offices, conduct their business.

Sun Bing, accompanied by a dozen or so similarly trembling generals, hurried across the plaza, passed through several layers of palace halls and pavilions, and arrived at the Eastern Palace's rear garden.

Sima Fa was tall and handsome, with a dignified appearance and a sturdy build; his body was covered in fine, snowflake-like tendon meat, like a figure carved from mutton-fat jade.

Sima Fa was quite pleased with his appearance; he habitually wore only a small animal-skin loincloth, exposing large swaths of smooth, white flesh as he went about, earning him the epithet 'Jade Banner Pole' from the idle rich youths and young ladies of Anyang City.

When Sun Bing stumbled into the Eastern Palace's rear garden, the over-five-meter-tall Sima Fa stood bare-bodied, holding a jade great bow, assuming a pose that could be called perfect for drawing and loosing an arrow, silently serving as a model amidst a vast field of peonies.

A dozen or so court-appointed painters stood to the side, unfolding large drawing tables and meticulously sketching stroke by stroke to capture Sima Fa's extraordinary, heroic bearing at that moment.

Near a hundred lovely palace maids stood nearby, their faces flushed with peach blossom as they clapped and cheered.

"Your Highness is mightily divine!"

"Your Highness is handsome!"

"Your Highness… ah!"

"Your Highness… ya!"

"Your Highness… uh!"

Sun Bing stumbled into the rear garden, shouting at the top of his lungs: "Your Highness, our venue has been smashed!"

Sun Bing's howl was shrill and desolate; Sima Fa was startled, his right hand fingers suddenly loosening, the bowstring snapping back with a violent 'crack', his left hand trembling, the bowstring lashing his face with another 'crack', causing Sima Fa to howl in pain 'ahhh'.

"Sun Bing… I'll fuck your mother!" Sima Fa shouted, clutching the face where the bowstring had struck painfully, jumping about wildly on the spot.